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Local 105
Administrative History

The beginnings of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of
the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada is traced to
1889, when a Boston plumber named P. J. Quinlan addressed a brief letter to
Richard A. O'Brien, a plumber in Washington, D.C. The author of the letter became
the first General President and its recipient the first General Secretary-Treasurer
of the United Association. Prior to 1889, those plumbers, steamfitters and
gas fitters who were organized were members of independent local unions with
either no affiliation, or affiliation with a variety of trades. By 1889 existing
organizations were declining or becoming devoted to only one craft, so local union
leaders began to consider other ways to unite national pipe trades journeymen
to deal with mutual problems, including how to treat traveling members, build
apprenticeships, and provide strike aid. In response to these issues, the United
Association was officially born on October 11, 1889. The original name of the
organization was the United Association of Journeymen Plumbers, Gas Fitters,
Steam Fitters and Steam Fitters' Helpers of the United States and Canada. The
union grew from forty delegates representing twenty-three unions in ten states
to an international union representing almost 300,000
members in more than 400 local unions throughout the United States and Canada.[1]

The first meeting of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of
the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Local 105
was held on March 23, 1893. The union was chartered on May 1, 1893 as Local 105
of Schenectady County, New York. Local 376 of Amsterdam, New York merged with
Local 105 on September 27, 1962. Local 253 of Gloversville, New York merged with
Local 105 on May 1, 1972.

Local 105
Scope & Content Note

The collection includes meeting minutes from Locals 105 and 253 of the United
Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry
of the United States and Canada. The minutes include accounts the unions' regular
meetings as well as related material also entered into the ledgers. There are
some officer and membership lists, correspondence, financial reports, grievance
reports, and additional items produced by the union during the course of
conducting their regular business.

Local 105
Series Descriptions

The collection is composed of two series containing similar materials and
content. Series 1: Local 105 Minutes is composed of photocopies of union ledgers
from Local 105, while Series 2: Local 253 Minutes is composed of photocopies of
Local 253's ledgers.